Friction-clutch.



1 a 1 E: m

H. JOHNSON.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1911.

1,024,006. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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H. JOHNSON. FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1911.

1,024,006. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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HOWARD JOHNSON, 0F LITTELL, WASHINGTON.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 650,634.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD J OHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Littell, in the county of Lewis and State of Washington,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in friction clutches for thedriving mechanism of hoisting or other forms of engines.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich is particularly adapted for use in connection with the cablewinding drums of donkey or other hoisting engines whereby said drums maybe quickly and easily thrown into and out of gear.

Another object is to provide a clutch which will be simple, strong anddurable in construction, eflicient and reliable in operation and welladapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement ofparts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the windingdrum and a portion of the driving mechanism of a hoisting engine showingthe application of the invention thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged centralvertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a similar View of theclutch shifting mechanism on a larger scale than that shown in Fig. 2;Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3 showing theconstruction of the inner thrust plate of the shifting mechanism; Fig. 5is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the con struction ofthe outer thrust plate of the shifting mechanism; Fig. 6 is a crosssectional view of a modified form of ball bearing between the innerthrust plate and the adjacent side of the winding drum. Fig. 7 is a sideor face View of the bearing shown in Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the draw-' ings 1 denotes the drumsupporting and driving shaft of a hoisting engine, said shaft beingrevolubly mounted at one end in bearing standards 2 and 3. Keyed to theshaft 1 adjacent to the bearing standard 2 is a driving gear 4, saidgear being connected with any suitable power. Bolted or otherwisesecured to one side of the gear 4 is one member 5 of a clutch connectionbetween the gear and the drum of the engine. The clutch member 5 is hereshown and is preferably in the form of an annular ring the sides ofwhich are tapered toward the outer end of the ring.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 1 between the gear 4 and the bearingstandard 3 is a cable winding drum 6 on the end of which adjacent to thegear 4 is formed the other member 7 of the clutch connection for thedrum. The clutch member 7 is in the form of concentric annular flangeswhich are preferably formed integral with the end of the drum and havetheir inner sides beveled or formed on an angle to correspond with thetapered or angular sides of the clutch member 5 on the gear 4 wherebywhen said clutch members are brought together a tight frictional contactor engagement will be formed between the same. The clutch members areforced apart and yieldingly held out of engagement by a coiled spring 8arranged on the shaft 1 between the gear 4 and the end of the drum asshown.

The clutch members 5 and 7 are thrown into operative engagement to lockthe drum with the driving gear by a drum shifting mechanism comprising aflanged sleeve 9 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 1 between thebearing standard 3 and the adjacent end of the drum as shown. Looselymounted on the sleeve 9 is an inner thrust plate 10 between which andthe flange on the sleeve 9 is arranged a ball bearing, said bearingcomprlslng an annular plate or rlng 11 having .in one s1de an annulargroove 12 which forms one member or side of a ballof bearing balls 14,said balls being held in position by a retaining ring 15 secured to thethrust plate 10 between the same and the plate 11 as shown. In the ring15 is formed an oil passage 16 whereby lubricating oil may be introducedto the bearing. The outer end of the sleeve 9 is externally threaded andadapted to be screwed thereon is a threaded collar 17 by means of whichthe plate 10 is secured in position on the sleeve.

Arranged adjacent to the outer side of the bearing standard 3 andoperatively connected to the thrust plate 10 is an outer thrust plate18, said plate 18 being connected to the inner thrust plate 10 by aseries of connecting rods or bolts 19 which pass through and have asliding engagement with the upper portion of the standard 3 as shown.The ends of the rods or bolts 19 are preferably threaded and the innerends of said rods are screwed into threaded apertures in the plate 10while the outer ends of the rods pass through the apertures in the plate18 and have screwed thereon clamping nuts 20 which engage the oppositesides of the plate 18 and securely clamp the same to the rods 19. Therods or bolts 19 engage the thrust plates at diametrically oppositepoints and where the rods pass through the plates the latter arepreferably offset or provided with radially projecting extensions asclearly shown in Figs. at and 5 of the drawings.

By connecting the thrust plates together in the manner described it willbe seen that said plates will move together or in unison when actuatedto shift the drum 6 for the purpose of bringing the members of theclutch into operative engagement. In or der to shift the clutch platesand drum to throw the members of the clutch into operative engagement, Iprovide a suitable clutch shifting mechanism comprising a shifting screw21 the inner end of which is secured to and has a revoluble connectionwith the outer end of the shaft 1 and has on its outer end coarse screwthreads 22 at the inner end of which the screw for a short distance isof hexagonal or other squared shape as shown at 23, said squared orhexagonal portion 23 of the shaft having a sliding engagement with asimilar shaped passage 2st formed through the center of the outer thrustplate 18 as shown. The means for revolubly connecting the inner end ofthe screw 21 with the outer end of the shaft 1 comprises an annularcasing 25 having in its inner side a threaded aperture adapted toreceive the threaded end of the shaft 1 whereby said casing may bescrewed into engagement with the shaft. Secured to the open outer end ofthe casing is a cap 26 having formed therein a centrally disposedaperture through which the screw 21 passes. The inner end of the screw21 when thus engaged with the aperture in the cap 26 projects into thecasing 25 and on said projecting inner end of the screw is arranged anannular screw holding plate 27, said plate preferably having a threadedengagement with the inner end of the screw as shown. In the inner sideof the cap 26 are formed two concentric grooves 28 and in the adjacentside of the screw holding plate 27 are formed similar grooves 29, saidgrooves 28 and 29 forming ball races in which are arranged series ofbearing balls 30 whereby a ball bearing engagement is provided betweenthe screw holding plate 27 and the cap 26 thus permitting the shaft 1 tofreely revolve on the screw 21 which is held against turning by theengagement of the squared or hexagonal portion 23 thereof with thesimilar] y shaped passage in the outer thrust plate 18. lVith thecoarsely threaded outer end of the screw 21 is operatively engaged ashifting nut 31 on which is formed a crank handle or lever 32 wherebysaid nut may be readily turned.

By constructing and arranging the shifting mechanism of the clutch asherein shown and described it will be seen that in order to shift thedrum and thereby bring the members of the clutch connection thereof intooperative engagement it is simply necessary to turn the nut 31 in theproper direction on the coarsely threaded end of the screw 21 which,being secured at its inner end to the outer end of the drive shaft 1 andbeing held against turning by the squared engagement thereof with thethrust plate 18 will cause the nut 21 to screw inwardly on said threadedend of the screw thus engaging the outer thrust plate 18 and forcing thelatter together with the inner thrust plate 10 inwardly. In thusshifting the plates inwardly the drum 16 will also be shifted inwardlyand the clutch members 7 thereon brought into operative engagement withthe clutch member 5 on the gear 4; thus locking the drum in operativeengagement with the gear.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a slightly modified construction of the ballbearing connection between the inner thrust plate and the adjacent sideof the drum, said connection being shown in this instance as comprisingan annular plate 33 having formed therein a centrally disposed aperture34 through which the shaft 1 passes and having on one side around saidaperture an annular laterally projecting fiange 35 forming part of aball race with which are engaged bearing balls 36 said balls being heldin place by a ring 37 forming the other part of the ball race, said ringbeing secured to the plate 33 by screws or other suitable fasteningdevices. The bearing when thus arranged is adapted to be engaged withthe drive shaft 1 between the end of the inner thrust plate 10 and theadjacent end of the drum and when thus arranged the balls 36 will engagethe annular ball receiving grooves 13 formed in the adjacent side of thethrust plate. as will be readily understood. The thrust bearing betweenthe drum and the thrust plate 10 shown in the first form of theillvention and the bearing shown in Figs. 6 and 7 will effectuallyresist the thrust of the shifting mechanism when applied to the drum andwill relieve all friction between the thrust plate and the drum or theflanged sleeve 9 thus permitting the drum to freely revolve when throwninto engagement with the driving gear 4C.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will bereadily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a driveshaft of a driving gear fixedly mounted thereon, a clutch memberarranged on said gear, a cable winding drum loosely mounted on saidshaft, a clutch member arranged on said drum and adapted to co-act withthe clutch member on said gear whereby said gear and drum are lockedtogether in operative engagement, a drum shifting and clutch engagingmechanism, said mechanism comprising slidably mounted thrust plates, ashifting screw, means to loosely connect one end of said screw with theouter end of said shaft, means whereby said screw is held againstturning, a shifting nut operatively engaged with the outer end of saidscrew and with one of said thrust plat-es whereby when said nut isturned in the proper direction said thrust plates and drum will beshifted and said clutch members brought into operative engagement tolock the drum with said driving gear, and a handle arranged on said nut.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a driveshaft of a driving gear fixed thereto a clutch member arranged on saidgear, a cable winding drum revolubly mounted on said shaft, a clutchmember formed on one end of said drum and adapted to co-act with theclutch member on said gear whereby said drum and gear are operativelyconnected together, a drum and clutch shifting mechanism, said mechanismcomprising inner and outer slidably supported thrust plates, a ballbearing connection between said inner thrust plate and the adjacent sideof the drum, a shifting screw, a ball bearing connection between vheinner end of said screw and the adjacent end of said drive shaft wherebythe screw is held and the shaft permitted to turn freely thereon, saidscrew having a squared portion adapted to engage said outer thrust platewhereby the screw is held against rotation, coarse threads formed on theouter end of said screw, a shifting nut having an operative engagementwith said threaded end of the screw and with said outer thrust platewhereby when said nut is turned in the proper direction said thrustplates and drum will be shifted to bring the clutch members intooperative engagement, and means whereby said nut is turned.

3. In a friction clutch and shifting mechanism for cable winding drums,a drive shaft, bearing standards to revolubly support said shaft, adriving gear fixedly mounted on one end of said shaft, a clutch membersecured to one side of said gear, -a cable winding drum revolublymounted on said shaft, a clutch member arranged on one end of said drumand adapted to co-act with the clutch member on said gear whereby saiddrum is locked in operative engagement with the gear, a coiled springadapted to disengage said clutch members and to normally hold the sameout of engagement, a drum and clutch shifting mechanism, said mechanismcomprising a flanged sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent tothe outer end of said drum, an inner thrust plate arranged on saidsleeve, a ball bearing connection between said plate and the flange onthe sleeve, a retaining collar arranged on the outer end of said sleeveto hold said outer plate in position thereon, an outer thrust plate, aseries of plate connecting rods slidably engaged with one of saidstandards whereby said thrust plates are operatively supported and areadapted to move in unison, a shifting screw, means to loosely connectsaid screw with the adjacent end of said shaft, a shifting nutoperatively engaged with the outer end of said screw and with the outerthrust plate whereby when said nut is turned in the proper direction,said plates and drum will be shifted to bring the clutch members intooperative engagement thereby locking the drum to said driving gear, anda handle secured to said nut.

4. In a friction clutch and shifting mechanism for cable winding drums,a drive shaft, bearing standards to revolubly support said shaft, adriving gear fixedly mounted on one end of said shaft, a clutch membersecured to one side of said gear, a cable winding drum revolubly mountedon said shaft, a clutch member arranged on one end of said drum andadapted to co-act with the clutch member on said gear whereby said drumis locked in operative engagement with the gear, a drum and clutchshifting mechanism, said mechanism comprising inner and outer slidabllysupported thrust plates, said outer plates having a flat sided passage,a shifting screw, means to loosely connect said screw with the adjacentend of said drive shaft, said means comprising a casing having athreaded engagement with the end of said shaft, an apertured cap securedto said casing and adapted to receive the inner end of the screw holdingplate arranged in said casing and having a threaded engagement with theinner end of said screw, a ball bearing connection between said plateand cap, a flat sided surface formed on said screw and adapted to engagethe similarly shaped passage formed in the outer thrust plate wherebysaid screw is held against turning, coarse threads formed on the outerend of said screw, a shifting nut having an operative engagement withsaid threads and with the adjacent side of the outer thrust platewhereby when said nut is turned in the proper direction, said thrustplates and drum will be shifted to bring said clutch nesses.

HOWARD JOHNSON. Witnesses:

WESLEY LLoYD, FAYETTE J. PARTRIDGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

